A few learnings from this opening block of PWR fixtures

24 matches played. 215 tries scored (mostly by Millie David). 7,455 tackles completed. 1,147 defenders beaten (again - see Millie Whizz).

Some truly edge-of-your-seat clashes, heart-in-mouth moments, and drop-your-popcorn instances of virtuosic ‘phwoar’.

This opening block of the PWR has been glorious, and - bonus - educational. For those interested, here’s a little of what I’ve learned.

Canadians are the PWR’s hottest property right now

Alysha Corrigan’s hustle and Julia Omokhuale’s tackling. Gabby Senft’s athleticism and Sabrina Poulin’s pace. The wheels on Krissy Scurfield, and Emma Taylor’s ability to get her breath back after smashing six consecutive rucks, lead the try celebrations, and then slot an insouciant conversion with the most “Who - me?” of approaches. The sheer class of DaLeaka Menin. They’re all rock stars.

It’s not just the Canadians’ output, though - it’s their input. Ask any of the coaches or players about the impact their resident maples are having, and they just beam - before waxing lyrical about individuals with the mindsets of tigers but the hearts of Care Bears - and it’s thrilling how many people also reckon they’ll be in that World Cup final.

Leicester Tigers finished eighth last year

Next up: a revelation which both stunned and infuriated.

Tigers, it transpires, didn’t actually finish bottom of the log in 2024 - which you might have believed from how the table looked at the end of the campaign, or our commentary during this season’s opener.

In fact, Sale Sharks were docked additional points for failing to meet EQP requirements - and so it was the Northerners who trailed in ninth.

That’s not the issue here, though: the issue is that there was no press release about this. No communication whatsoever from the league themselves - who decided this wasn’t worthy of a missive, and only amended the table this autumn.

Speaking to players, coaches, and other journalists - no one had the foggiest, which is not only maddening, but speaks to a wider issue around the league itself.

We learned after said opening round that the PWR’s CEO was departing her post immediately - but not why, nor what was meant by ‘leadership transition’. The statement was a meagre 132 words long - none of which came from Moore herself - and it’s deeply concerning that such drastic changes are happening right as we embark upon a season which culminates in a home World Cup.

The PWR needs to be poised to capitalise on that tournament - the expression ‘2025 ready’ has been trotted out frequently since the competition’s rebrand - but it’s hard to feel confident in that when it’s without a CEO, a title sponsor, or the ability to communicate something as fundamental as a change to its final standings.

Trailfinders are fun

From the ridiculous to the sublime: round five was when I caught Trailfinder fever.

A few hours in Ealing to ‘observe’ training and get some commentary prep done turned into an evening truly immersed in the newbies’ patch - and getting a proper feel for what this group are about.

Barney Maddison - without hesitating - said that ‘of course’ I could sit in on their team meeting; Brooke Bradley and Liz Crake could not have been warmer or more insightful company on the touchlines; and sitting cross-legged in and amongst the green and purple-clad masses as they finished things off with their habitual Tuesday nightcap of hamstring work was just joyful.

I was regaled with tales of a fancy dress social down in Exeter - Rowena Burnfield and Abby Dow as Miss Trunchbull and Amanda Thripp was inspired - and a genuinely global squad shared how they’ve celebrated Thanksgiving, Burns Night, and other cultural traditions together over the past year or so.

Grace White talked me through her latest tattoos, before Dow saw me out - not before asking my ‘go-to fight move’… (Hers, because I know you’re wondering, is a roundhouse kick.)

Trailfinders aren’t unique in this - it’s rare to leave a PWR environment without a pep in your step - but it was properly infectious stuff, and you can see it in their rugby. With foots pressed flat to the floor, they’re searing and instinctive - and celebrate like Catherine wheels. Expect them to be pushing for playoffs before too long.

We’ve finally got a proper top-four race again

Speaking of which: how exciting is this? These infuriating bye weeks mean that the table is currently about as useful as a Play-Doh hammer, but there are genuinely seven teams in the mix for a semi-final, and the margins will be as narrow as the gap Emma Sing needs to make you look silly in defence.

There are some sumptuous match-ups taking place over the final four rounds, when Quins will have a massive say in what goes down. Their last quartet of the regular season? Sarries, Chiefs, Bears, and The Circus. A) ouch B) what power they wield.

You want these things to end with a burn-up - and that should definitely be the case in 2025, when tickets to the playoffs will be getting booked at the very, very last minute.

WXV is going to affect this season in such a lot of ways

As Nathan Smith put it in the week - ‘it feels like we haven’t really got started yet,’ but - unfortunately for Lightning - we have. WXV’s scheduling meant that the league’s stars were literally oceans away as the premiership kicked off, before swathes of athletes returned injured or - to quote Sean Lynn - ‘absolutely toast.’

This shaped the opening few rounds, and - given how tight the tussle for top four is going to be - will therefore affect who’s left standing - in every sense.

In this concertinaed season, coaches are quick to tell you about the vast amounts of work going on to mitigate its consequences for their athletes’ bodies and minds.

Alex Austerberry’s practically got his backroom staff sleeping at their desks by a supercomputer up in North London, so keen is he to get as many of his players as possible to a potentially career-defining World Cup - and Chiefs’ new S&C coach Liam McStay has been meticulously crafting programmes for each of Exeter’s stars - so that they’re held together by something more than duct tape, come the business end of it all.

We will see injuries as a result of unprecedented fatigue this year, and there will be at least one team whose campaign ends on February 22nd - wondering what might have been if their fixtures had fallen differently: if a few key clashes had landed further from those autumnal tests.

It’s going to be a spectacular season - perhaps the best ever - but there’s certainly room for improvement in the calendar department.

We’re so lucky with the good people at our clubs

This could be a column in and of itself, but - in no particular order - here are just a few standouts: Pat Lam, given next-to-no notice that we were going to interview him live on TNT, speaking with such warmth and knowledge about Bears’ women; Gloucester-Hartpury having their university side in for preseason, and giving those youngsters a tantalising taste of top table stuff.

Saracens pushing the boundaries with their live streams - Harry Scott-Munro working like a demon to craft ambitious and colourful programming before pelting up to commentary to call the matches himself.

Tigers hustling, like - well - tigers, to ‘skim the cream of the Championship crop’ this summer, and unearth diamonds like Leah Heath, or provide historic moments like Zee Alema’s try. Susie Appleby and Nathan Smith both visibly emotional at full-time this Sunday at Sandy Park - two deeply passionate individuals at opposing ends of a scoreline.

Speaking of which - congratulations to Nathan and Sarah [Hunter], who welcomed the beautiful baby Olivia into the world last month. Appleby briefly hijacked her own press conference in the week to express her delight for the young family. ‘It’s amazing,’ she reflected. ‘And it puts things in perspective - because that’s the real bit. That's what it’s really all about.’

Perfectly put. The 80 minutes matter, but the humans involved matter more.

I’m only getting soppier with age.

I cried - like, tears-spilling-over cried - at the wonderful Nancy McGillivray’s intercept score on her return from a 17-month injury odyssey. Don’t laugh: I know you did, too.